Cattle: Over Thirty Month Scheme

Lord Vinson: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they consider the compensation arrangements for the compulsory slaughter of cattle over 30 months to be fair; and whether they will consider raising the current weight ceiling on slaughtered cattle to compensate at a price reflecting open market value.

Baroness Hayman: The Over Thirty Month Scheme provides a voluntary outlet for cattle which are excluded from the food chain by virtue of their age and for which there is no market. The Government consider that payments under the scheme are fair to taxpayers and producers. The weight limit and other payment terms are set by the European Commission.

Alzheimer's Disease: Treatment with Aricept

Lord Dixon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many health care trusts in the Northern Region Health Authority refuse people in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease the drug Aricept on National Health Service prescription; and
	Which health care trusts make the drug Aricept available on National Health Service prescription; and
	Which health care trusts refuse patients the drug Aricept on National Health Service prescription; and
	How much money is saved by health care trusts which deny patients the drug Aricept on National Health Service prescription.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Information about local policies on the treatment of Alzheimer's disease is not routinely collected and assessed centrally, but we understand that there is some prescribing of Aricept in all health authorities.
	Aricept and other pharmaceutical treatment for Alzheimer's disease will be reviewed by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence as part of its first work programme. This work is expected to be completed by December 2000.

Jubilee Line Signal Failures

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	On how many occasions since 6 January the Jubilee Line service has been disrupted by signal failure.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: I understand from London Underground that between 7 January and 4 March 2000 there were in total 55 incidents of delay attributable to failure of Jubilee Line signalling equipment. Of these, nine were of over 15 minutes' duration and the rest between two and 15 minutes.
	As you know, work is in hand aimed at improving performance significantly.

River Thames: Piers

Lord Luke: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will commission a review of the number and location of piers on the River Thames, with particular reference to the convenience of existing piers and their proximity to public passenger transport on land.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The Government fully appreciate that the provision of high quality piers in convenient locations is essential to the development of sustainable Thames passenger services. That is why our Thames 2000 initiative includes the construction of new or replacement piers in at least four key locations (Blackfriars, Tower, Waterloo and Westminster). The transfer of the management of key central London piers to the London Transport subidiary London River Services Ltd was an important step towards integrating piers and river services fully into the capital's public transport network.
	Responsibility for managing river services after July 2000 will fall to the new Mayor of London. The mayor will have a statutory duty to have regard to the desirability of promoting and encouraging use of the river and especially river passenger services. It will be for the mayor to consider whether to carry out a review of piers.

Private Hire Vehicle Licensing, London

Lord Brabazon of Tara: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress they are making in implementing the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: Ministers in the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Public Carriage Office have carefully considered the responses to last year's joint consultation on proposals for licensing private hire vehicle operators in London. Draft regulations are now being drawn up; we intend to conduct a further joint consultation on them as soon as possible. Further consultations on proposals for regulating private hire drivers and vehicles will follow.

Fair Rents: Increases

Baroness Jeger: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the present position of the order proposed to have been made under Section 31 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 to forbid increases of more than 7.5 per cent (plus the Retail Price Index) being made by landlords in rents being paid by tenants with fair rent registrations under the Housing Act 1988.

Lord Whitty: The Court of Appeal ruled in a judgment handed down on 20 January that the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 is ultra vires, unlawful and of no effect. The order has been quashed. The position is that fair rent registrations by rent officers and rent assessment committees will be dealt with in the way they were prior to the introduction of the order in February 1999.
	We remain committed to protecting tenants who pay a fair rent against excessive increases. We have petitioned this House to grant leave to appeal the Court's decision.

Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answers by the Lord Whitty on 21 February (WA 4-5), how they intend to progress measures to secure the long-term funding and protection of Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Lord Whitty: My right honourable friend the Minister for the Environment expects to make an announcement soon about measures to conserve and enhance designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Natural Disasters and Environmental Policy

Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What analysis they have made of worldwide natural disasters during the past 10 years; what conclusions they have reached; and what are the implications for the priority of environment policy in Government Action.

Lord Whitty: My department works alongside the Ministry of Defence, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development, exploring methods for predicting the impact of environmental stresses on stability and defining the options for UK government response through, for example, environmental policy, aid programmes or defence diplomacy. The seriousness of these issues is reflected in the high priority that environment is given in government policy, domestically and internationally.
	In addition, we support multilateral work to mitigate the effects of natural disasters. The UK is the second largest donor of the United Nations' Environment Programme (UNEP), which takes a leading role in assessing the environmental impacts of natural disasters. Its recent activities include work in Venezuela and Mozambique. UNEP's most recent assessment of the effect of natural disasters is contained in its Global Environment Outlook 2000 report, which was published in September 1999.
	While it is not possible to attribute any specific natural disaster to human-induced climate change, it is expected that global warming will be accompanied by changes in extreme weather events. This conclusion has arisen from the results of part of an £8 million-pa research programme funded at the Hadley Centre by my department, which is continuing.
	To combat the effects of climate change, we have just announced a programme for reduction in UK greenhouse emissions by 21.5 per cent, almost double our 12.5 per cent target under the Kyoto Protocol. This programme could also achieve the more difficult national goal of a 20 per cent cut in carbon dioxide emissions.

Postage Stamp Themes

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What considerations are taken into account by the Royal Mail in the selection of an important event as a theme suitable for celebration on postage stamps.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Royal Mail selects events and themes for celebration on postage stamps which:
	commemorate important anniversaries;
	celebrate events of national and international importance;
	reflect the British contribution to world affairs, in particular to the Commonwealth and Europe, in a variety of fields of activity including the arts and sciences;
	reflect the many varied aspects of Britain and the British way of life;
	extend public patronage to the arts by encouraging the development of minuscule art;
	fit in with the Post Office's commercial target for philately.
	In addition the following conventions apply:
	Any topic which may be considered controversial or cause offence nationally is avoided.
	No identifiable living person, other than Royalty, is depicted.
	Anniversaries are restricted generally to 50 year multiples.
	Past and future years are considered to ensure a balance and variety of subjects taking one year with another.
	Within a year's programme, the aim is to provide a variety of categories of subjects.

Welfare Reform Programme

Lord Haskel: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What further progress they have made in their welfare reform programme.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: Welfare reform is central to this Government's agenda of modernisation, and to its goals of tackling poverty and social exclusion. Today the Prime Minister is announcing plans for the next stage of welfare reform, which will radically change the way the Government provide support for people of working age. The aim is to accelerate the move from a welfare system that primarily provides passive support to one that provides active support to help people become more independent, based on work for those who can and security for those who cannot.
	During 2001, a brand new, modern agency will be established with a clear focus on work. This will draw together the Employment Service and the parts of the Benefits Agency which support people of working age. It will deliver a single, integrated service to benefit claimants of working age and to employers. The agency will continue and develop the partnership approach to working with local authorities and the private and voluntary sectors which the Government have adopted in implementing its welfare to work policies.
	Already the New Deal has helped around 260,000 people back into work. The national minimum wage and tax credits are helping work pay. And the ONE pilots are showing how, working together, the Benefits Agency and the Employment Service can provide a radically improved service to clients and employers alike. The new agency will have a new culture, and will be firmly focused on helping people to become independent. It will help further to embed a culture of rights and responsibilities within the welfare system. Personal advisers will steer clients towards work or training, help them claim the benefits they need, and provide additional support tailored to their needs. Help will be directed to those who genuinely need it, while fraud will be squeezed out of the system.
	The agency will provide a proactive and responsive service to employers--helping people to find jobs and helping employers to fill their vacancies with the right people.
	The agency will also help and support working age people who are out of the labour market for whatever reason. A single agency will provide a better and more responsive benefits service to all people of working age, tailored to individual needs and asking the question: what can we do to help you become independent? Fraud will be squeezed out of the system.
	The agency will provide a single point of contact for all working age people to access the following benefits: Jobseeker's Allowance, Income Support, Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Maternity Allowance, Widow's Benefit, Industrial Injury Disablement Benefits and Invalid Care Allowance. The adminstration of the Social Fund is under review.
	The new agency will be in the front line of the drive to modernise government. It will have the technology to provide the most up-to-date service to more than 10 million customers each year. Job vacancies, information about services and benefits and availability of child care will all be on hand at the press of a button. Located in high streets and town centres across the country this new service will represent the face of 21st century government. Over time, the new agency will produce efficiency savings compared to the current arrangements.
	Design and development of the new agency will be carried out jointly by the Secretaries of State for Education and Employment and for Social Security. The Prime Minister is asking them to establish the agency as soon as possible in 2001 so that, alongside the new service for pensioners announced yesterday, it can start to deliver our vision of a modern welfare state and contribute to reducing poverty and expanding opportunity.

GLA and Local Council Elections: Advice to Civil Servants

Lord Lipsey: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What advice has been given to civil servants on the conduct of government business during the forthcoming elections to the Greater London Authority and to local councils on 4 May.

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Government have issued guidance to civil servants on the principles which they should observe in relation to the conduct of government business in the period before the forthcoming elections.
	The guidance stresses that civil servants should conduct themselves in accordance with the Civil Service Code and is based on the need to maintain the political impartiality of the Civil Service and the need to ensure that public resources are not used for party political purposes.
	The guidance will come into force on 13 April.
	Copies of the guidance have been placed in the Libraries of the House, and are also available from the Vote Office.

Former Offenders: Employment Position

Lord Dholakia: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What proportion of those who are unemployed and receiving benefit have convictions for standard list offences; and what estimate the Government have made of the extent to which the fact of those convictions prevents them from finding work.

Baroness Blackstone: People claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) are not required to disclose any previous convictions. It is therefore not possible to provide information about the number or proportion of JSA claimants who have convictions for standard list offences.
	My department is keen to have better information about the employment position of ex-offenders. For this reason we have commissioned the National Institute of Economic and Social Research to work with the British Market Research Bureau and the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders to produce a definitive assessment of the position of offenders in the labour market. The research will be reported at the end of the year and will inform further policy development.

Asylum Seekers in Kent

Lord Rotherwick: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the number of asylum seekers who are living in Kent who are awaiting decisions on applications; and
	What is the number of asylum seekers who are living in Kent who are awaiting appeals on decisions concerning their applications for asylum; and
	How many people living in Kent have been given asylum.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The requested information is not available.

Asylum Seekers: Detention at Oakington Reception Centre

Lord Dubs: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will announce the criteria for detention of asylum seekers at Oakington Reception Centre.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Oakington Reception Centre will strengthen our ability to deal quickly with asylum applications, many of which prove to be unfounded. In addition to the existing detention criteria, applicants will be detained at Oakington where it appears that their application can be decided quickly, including those which may be certified as manifestly unfounded. Oakington will consider applications from adults and families with children, for whom separate accommodation is being provided, but not from unaccompanied minors. Detention will initially be for a period of about seven days to enable applicants to be interviewed and an initial decision to be made. Legal advice will be available on site.
	If the claim cannot be decided in that period, the applicant will be granted temporary admission or, if necessary in line with existing criteria, moved to another place of detention. If the claim is refused, a decision about further detention will similarly be made in accordance with existing criteria. Thus, detention in this latter category of cases will normally be to effect removal or where it has become apparent that the person will fail to keep in contact with the Immigration Service.

Asylum Seekers: Submission of Supporting Evidence

Lord Dubs: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What arrangements exist for asylum seekers to submit material in support of their claim for asylum.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The White Paper Fairer, Faster and Firmer--A Modern Approach to Immigration and Asylum, published in July 1998, standardised the period allowed for asylum seekers to submit further material after a substantive interview at five days. We have decided that some adjustment to this policy is needed to deliver faster asylum decisions while at the same time ensuring that asylum seekers have a proper opportunity to establish their claim.
	In the case of applications considered at Oakington Reception Centre, we are arranging for the Refugee Legal Centre and Immigration Advisory Service to provide legal advice on-site. It has been agreed with those organisations that the consideration process should operate so that such advice may be provided both before and after the substantive interview. Other than in very exceptional circumstances, the substantive interview will take place on the third day at the centre and so there will normally be two more days after the interview in which to submit additional representations. The five-day period for submission of supporting material will in these cases therefore commence as soon as the asylum application has been made, rather than from the date of the substantive interview.
	We have also decided that the five-day period for submission of further supporting evidence will not apply to asylum claims where no substantive interview is conducted at the time when the claim is made. In those cases, applicants are issued with a Statement of Evidence form, which they are required to submit to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate within 14 days. We think this gives applicants a reasonable period to set out their claim, and time to seek legal representation if they wish. Where an application is not granted on the basis of the evidence in the Statement of Evidence form, applicants are interviewed and in these cases a decision will be made immediately after this substantive interview.
	The five-day standard period for applicants to submit further material after substantive interview, as set out in the White Paper, will continue to apply in all other cases.
	Discretion will be exercised to permit an extension of the applicable period for the making of post-interview representations where exceptional circumstances require--for example, where possible torture victims are identified.

Prison Service and Criminal Justice Boundaries

Lord Woolmer of Leeds: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether Prison Service areas are to be reorganised so as to improve alignment of criminal justice boundaries.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The response to a consultation document issued in December 1999 was overwhelmingly supportive of Prison Service proposals to continue its predominantly geographic structure but to realign its boundaries so that they match those of police areas and planned probation areas, the English regions and Wales. From April 2000, 12 area managers will manage establishments grouped by police areas within the boundaries of the nine English regions. Three regions--the South East, the North West and the East Midland--will have two area managers each. There will be a further, thirteenth manager for Wales. Two functional managers will continue to manage the higher security estate and the women's estate.
	These arrangements will improve alignment of criminal justice boundaries around the nine Government Offices for the Regions and Wales and provide the Prison Service with a platform for further joint working regionally and locally with other agencies. The move to a criminal justice focus on the 42 police areas is accelerating. The Crown Prosecution Service is organised on that basis already. Crown Courts Circuits are being reorganised on the basis of groups of police areas, and 42 criminal justice strategy committees and trial issues groups are being established this year. Forty-two magistrates' courts' committees and probation areas are planned from April 2001.

Channel Islands and Isle of Man: Financial Regulation

Baroness Gould of Potternewton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will announce the implementation by the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man of the Edwards Report on Financial Regulation in the Crown Dependencies.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man have produced reports setting out the steps that they have taken and are continuing to take to give effect to the conclusions of the Edwards Report. My right honourable friend the Home Secretary has today placed copies of the Islands' reports in the Library.
	My right honourable friend the Home Secretary is encouraged by the positive and constructive way in which the authorities in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man have responded to the challenge of the Edwards report. Although the report placed them in the top division of offshore centres, the authorities in all three jurisdictions have been implementing programmes of further improvement in their systems of financial regulation which had begun even before the publication of the report in November 1998. These programmes are still being taken forward; the islands recognise that the process of improving financial regulation must be a continuing one that works for the benefit of their economies and will strengthen the integrity of offshore financial centres.

Sexual Offences: Review

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they expect to complete their current review of sexual offences; how they will publish their views; and whether they intend to enhance the legal protection available for children against sexual exploitation.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Sex Offences Review is due to make its report to Ministers shortly, and it should be published for public consultation in the early summer. The review is preparing a detailed report together with a volume of supporting papers. These will be available in hard copy and on the Home Office website. The review has been asked to recommend coherent and clear sex offences which protect individuals, especially children and the more vulnerable, from abuse and exploitation. The report will set out is proposals to increase the protection given to children.

Mozambique and Ecuador: Debt Remission

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress is being made towards remitting Government external debt and rescheduling commercial debt in (a) Mozambique and (b) Ecuador; and when they expect payment of (a) interest and (b) capital on government debt to be cancelled in each case.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: In response to the severe flooding, the UK has relieved Mozambique of all its bilateral official debt obligations under the Chancellor's policy for countries qualifying for the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative. The Government look forward to a multilateral treatment of the bilateral official debt of Ecuador once a satisfactory programme has been agreed with the International Monetary Fund.
	Her Majesty's Government are not party to discussions between countries and their commercial creditors.

Bank Branch Closures

Lord Walton of Detchant: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they foresee any social consequences of the decision by Barclays Bank plc to close branches in Northumberland, with the result that elderly and disabled individuals living in remote rural areas may no longer have access to banking facilities; and, if so, whether there is any action which they can take.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Government recognise that some people may be faced with difficulties when banks close branches. The Treasury Policy Action Team (PAT 14) Access to Financial Services recommended the further development of new banking services and new ways to access them. The Government are contributing almost £500 million to the capital costs of computerising the Post Office network, to enable a wider range of services to be offered. The Post Office has recently announced plans to install more ATMs mainly in rural branches. A number of banks already have agreements with the Post Office to provide banking services through post offices.

Scottish Parliament Funding: Barnett Formula Expenditure Revision

Lord Barnett: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will provide figures showing how their commitment to revise expenditure in Scotland under the "Barnett Formula" to take account of population changes on an annual basis has been met.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The arrangements for funding the Scottish Parliament, including the application of population changes, are described in the Statement of Funding Policy published by the Treasury on 31 March 1999. This set out the population estimates for Scotland for 1996 and 1997. The estimates for 1998, which will be used in the 2000 Spending Review, are 10.34 per cent for the Scotland population as a proportion of England and 9.77 per cent as a proportion of England and Wales.

Combined Heat and Power Plants: Levy Exemption

Lord Hardy of Wath: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What concessions will be given in regard to the imposition of the Climate Change Levy upon electricity generated by combined heat and power stations.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Chancellor announced in the Pre Budget Report that there would be an exemption from climate change levy (CCL) for energy and heat generated by "good quality" Combined Heat & Power (CHP) plants. CHP plants will also benefit from inclusion as a qualifying technology in the proposed system of Enhanced Capital Allowances for energy saving investments and exemption from Non-Domestic Rates.

Combined Heat and Power Plants: Levy Exemption

Lord Campbell of Croy: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will exempt all electricity generated from combined heat and power (CHP) plant of good quality from the Climate Change Levy in line with their stated intention to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by treating sales of electricity from CHPs in the same way as electricity generated by renewable means.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: It is not proposed to treat the sales of qualifying electricity generated from "Good Quality" CHP in the same way as electricity generated from renewable sources. As renewable energy sources are environmentally the most benign, it is appropriate for them to be treated more favourably than CHP for levy purposes.

European Armaments Policy

Lord Inglewood: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they blocked the draft Common Position on a European armaments policy in December last; and, if so, what additional elements, if any, they wish to include in such a policy; or whether their present policy is that there should be no European armaments policy.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We supported the conclusions reached by the 15 November 1999 General Affairs Council, which stressed the importance of European armaments co-operation and asked the Union's competent bodies to pursue their work, including the possibility of establishing a common position on European armaments policy in the light of future developments in the field of European Defence and Security policy. We considered that this was the right approach, given the pace of developments both in the restructuring of the European defence industry, and the progress being made in the Prime Minister's initiative to strengthen the European capability to undertake military crisis management.

Iraq: Sanctions Exemptions

Viscount Waverley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the procedures by which the UN-Iraq Sanctions Committee reaches decisions on applications under the Oil for Food programme or under other humanitarian programmes.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The UN-Iraq Sanctions Committee established by United Nations Security Council Resolution 661, comprising all members of the UN Security Council, reaches decisions on applications under the Oil for Food programme or under other humanitarian programmes by consensus in accordance with the relevant resolutions on Iraq. A significant number of applications, for essential civilian needs, medical supplies and foodstuffs are circulated under a no objection procedure and medicines are generally exempt from committee approval.
	Under the terms of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1284, it has been agreed that an even wider range of humanitarian items will no longer require Sanctions Committee approval. These items include foodstuffs, pharmaceutical and medical supplies, medical equipment and educational items. These items require notification to the UN's Office of the Iraq Programme.

Iraq: Sanctions Exemptions

Viscount Waverley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In the most recent year for which figures are available, (a) how many applications were made to the UN-Iraq Sanctions Committee under the Oil for Food programme or under other humanitarian programmes; (b) how many of these applications were approved; (c) how many were refused; (d) how many are still outstanding; (e) what was the average length of time taken to consider each application.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Between December 1998 and 6 March 2000, 2,443 applications were submitted to the UN Iraq Sanctions Committee under the Oil for Food programme. One of these applications was refused. The Committee raised no objection to 1,883 of these applications and additional information was requested on 560 applications.
	Detailed information on all Oil for Food applications submitted over the last year can be found on the UN website at http://www.un.org/Depts/oip.html
	During the period 1 August 1998 to 20 November 1999, over 6,000 applications were received for humanitarian goods outside the Oil for Food programme. Of these 2,654 were approved, 427 were placed on hold for further information and 2,823 were refused as the Committee considered that the applications were not consistent with the relevant resolutions on Iraq. Some applications were withdrawn or nullified.
	Medical supplies and food applications are circulated under a no objections procedure within two business days; other humanitarian supplies within seven business days. Under the terms of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1284, it has been agreed that a wide range of humanitarian items will no longer require Sanctions Committee approval. These items include foodstuffs, pharmaceutical and medical supplies, medical equipment and educational items. These items require notification to the UN's Office of the Iraq Programme.

Sudan: Chemical Weapons Allegation

Lord Ahmed: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether tests that were conducted on blood and urine samples collected by personnel of Operation Lifeline Sudan and provided to the United Nations confirmed allegations that the government of Sudan had used chemical weapons in southern Sudan in July 1999.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: In October last year, the UN Secretary General's spokesman announced that blood and urine samples from people in southern Sudan complaining of burning sensations had been sent for analysis to the Center for Disease Control, an independent laboratory in Atlanta. The results of the measurements, as reported to the United Nations, indicated no evidence of exposure to chemicals.

Angola: Oil Revenue and Arms Purchases

Lord Ahmed: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have any evidence that oil revenues are being used by the government of Angola for the purchase of arms.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Oil accounts for approximately 80 per cent of Angolan government revenue. Defence spending forms the largest part of the Angolan budget. There is no doubt that oil revenues are used to fund the purchase of arms.

Ministerial Appointments

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether any Ministers have expressed sympathy, support or understanding for the communist regimes in China, North Korea or the former Soviet Union before they took office; and, if so, whether the appointment of these Ministers is consistent with government policy towards Austria.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Ministerial appointments are always consistent with government policy.

Act of Union: Bicentenary

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 29 February (WA 62), why the Foreign and Commonwealth Office answers for that policy area.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office consulted other government departments, including the Cabinet Office and the Northern Ireland Office before replying to this Question. Among factors taken into account in giving the previous answer on 29 February were the Government's overall policy towards marking anniversaries of this kind; the current political situation in Northern Ireland; and our relations with the Irish Government. The last of these factors explains why the FCO took the lead in answering this question.

Act of Union: Bicentenary

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What support and advice has been offered to the range of organisations in the Irish Republic which are proposing to mark the bicentenary of the Act of Union between Great Britain and Ireland which created the United Kingdom.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We have not been approached by, nor are aware of, any organisations in the Irish Republic who are proposing to mark the bicentenary of the Act of Union.

Kosovo: Bar Human Rights Committee's Report

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What representations they or UNMIK have received from the Bar Human Rights Committee about justice in Kosovo.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We have received the Bar Human Rights Committee's 16 February report on Kosovo 'Kosova 2000--Justice not Revenge'. We are in touch with its authors about how to take forward its recommendations.

Kosovo: Measures to Strengthen Legal System

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the European Convention on Human Rights applies in Kosovo; and whether they will seek to ensure that its provisions concerning the fairness of trials will be upheld in that territory.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Regulation No. 1999/24 issued by the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative (SRSG) for Kosovo specifies that among the internationally recognised human rights standards to be observed by public bodies in Kosovo is the 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and its Protocols. The UN Mission in Kosovo attaches high priority to the fair conduct of trials. As part of its efforts to ensure this, the SRSG has issued a new regulation (2000/6) on the appointment of international judges and prosecutors to strengthen the working of the legal system in Kosovo.

Kosovo: War and Ethnic Crimes Court

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they are satisfied with the proposed composition of the Kosovo Court for War Crimes and Ethnically Motivated Crimes.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The latest report on Kosovo from the UN Secretary-General described UNMIK's efforts to establish a war and ethnic crimes court. The Government support this proposal, in particular the intention that the court should involve international as well as local representatives.

Kosovo: Police Service

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress is being made towards the creation of a sufficiently large and well-trained police service in Kosovo.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Good progress has been made so far. Three hundred and forty-nine recruits have graduated from the OSCE Police School and a further 250 recruits are currently undertaking their training. Following their academic training, each recruit will receive a further 17 weeks of field training with an UNMIK police officer, and an additional 80 hours of advanced classroom training. Having successfully completed the three phases of instruction, the recruit is eligible for certification and independent assignment.
	The OSCE training mandate is to develop and deliver democratically oriented, basic police training for approximately 3,500 locally recruited students within the next 16 months. On completion of the refurbishment of the Police School, it is anticipated that 500 students will be housed and trained at the same time.